Kamil Perry
There are many options for cheese to use on a vegan pizza, including homemade and store-bought varieties. Some popular store-bought options include Follow Your Heart Mozzarella, Miyoko's Cashew Milk Mozzarella, and Daiya. Many people also choose to make their own vegan cheese for pizza, with cashews and white beans being common bases. Some recipes include additional ingredients like nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, and white miso paste to enhance the flavor.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese Type | Mozzarella, Goat/Feta-style, Almond-based, Coconut-based |
| Commercial Options | Miyoko's Cashew Milk Mozzarella, Follow Your Heart Mozzarella, Daiya, Violife, Babybell, Chao, Willicroft |
| Homemade Options | Cashew, White Bean, Cauliflower |
| Ingredients | Water, Raw Cashews, Nutritional Yeast, Garlic, Lemon Juice, White Miso Paste, Arrowroot Powder, Salt, Olive Oil, Tomato Puree, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Dried Oregano, Fresh Basil, Tapioca Starch/Flour |
| Preparation | Broil for 5-10 minutes, Bake for 7 minutes at 550°F (290°C), Bake for 10-15 minutes at 450°F (232°C) |
| Storage | Refrigerate for 4-5 days or freeze |
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What You'll Learn
Mozzarella alternatives
Mozzarella, a soft Italian cheese, is traditionally made with buffalo milk, but is also made with cow's milk. For vegans, eating vegan mozzarella has been a long-time dream, as there were no vegan alternatives or they simply weren't up to the mark. However, there are now some very good plant-based mozzarella alternatives available, and you can even make your own.
Some of the best vegan mozzarella cheeses for pizza include Miyoko's Creamery Organic Cashew Milk Mozzarella, which has a wetter consistency than most other vegan pizza cheeses. It comes as a shrink-wrapped square, focusing more on texture than flavour. Another variety by Miyoko's is a pourable liquid mozzarella, which is considered by some to be the gold standard.
Other options include Follow Your Heart Mozzarella, which has a good cheese pull and tastes like junk food pizza. Daiya is another popular option, although some people don't like the taste. If you're looking for a nut-free option, you can try a homemade recipe with white beans, which has the same taste as cashew-based cheese but with a slightly less creamy texture.
Some other popular brands of vegan cheese include Violife, Babybell, and Chao slices. You can also try blending different types of vegan cheese to balance the flavours and solve the dryness issue.
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Nutritional yeast
When making a vegan pizza, nutritional yeast can be used in a variety of ways to add a cheesy flavour. One way is to sprinkle it directly onto the pizza before baking. It can also be added to sauces to enhance their flavour and nutritional content. For example, you can make a vegan cheese sauce by melting vegan butter or coconut oil, adding spices and flour, and then whisking in nutritional yeast and water until smooth and creamy. This sauce can then be spread onto your pizza base and baked.
Another way to use nutritional yeast is to create a vegan cheese substitute. One recipe involves blending soaked cashews or white beans with nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, and white miso paste. This creates a creamy, cheesy mixture that can be spread onto your pizza as a substitute for traditional cheese.
Overall, nutritional yeast is a versatile and nutritious ingredient that can easily be incorporated into vegan pizza recipes, providing a delicious cheesy flavour while also boosting the nutritional profile of the dish.
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Melting methods
There are a variety of methods for melting vegan cheese on pizza. One way is to bake the pizza in the oven with foil covering the cheese, which can produce a glossier melt and enhance the cheese pull effect. Another method is to cook the pizza dough with sauce, spray the cheese with water, cover with foil, and bake for a few minutes. This technique solves the dryness issue that some vegan cheeses have when melting.
Some vegan cheeses melt better than others. Miyoko's cashew-based cheeses, including their liquid mozzarella, are popular options. Follow Your Heart Mozzarella has a good cheese pull and stretches more than other vegan cheeses, although it has a pasty texture. Violife Epic Mature Cheddar Flavour melts well on pizza, as does Sheese Cheddar Style with Jalapeno and Chilli. MozzaRisella is known for its meltability and is used in many UK restaurants.
Vegan mozzarella can be made at home with simple ingredients such as raw cashews, water, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, and white miso paste. Softening the cashews first by boiling or soaking helps them blend into a smoother cheese. Tapioca starch can also be added to make the cheese stretchier and gooier.
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Store-bought vs homemade
Vegan cheese has come a long way, and today, there are many options available for those who want a plant-based pizza. You can choose from store-bought or homemade varieties, each with its pros and cons.
Store-Bought
The convenience of store-bought vegan cheese is a significant advantage. You can simply pick up a packet of Miyoko's Cashew Milk Mozzarella or Follow Your Heart Mozzarella from the store and use it to top your pizza. Some store-bought options also melt and stretch like regular cheese, giving an authentic pizza experience.
However, store-bought vegan cheese may not always be readily available in your area, and it can be a challenge to find one that suits your taste. For instance, while Follow Your Heart's Mozzarella has a good cheese pull, it has a goopy texture and sticks to the teeth. Violife is another option, but it tends to get greasy when melted.
Homemade
Making your own vegan cheese at home gives you control over the ingredients and flavour. You can make a simple, mild, and melty vegan cheese with just five ingredients in 15 minutes. A basic recipe includes water, raw cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, and white miso paste. You can also use white beans instead of cashews for a nut-free option.
Homemade vegan cheese is a healthier option, and you can make it without soy, gluten, cashews, oil, or coconut. It is also versatile, and you can adjust the salt and acidity to suit your taste. However, making your own cheese requires more time and effort than simply buying a packet from the store.
Whether you choose store-bought or homemade vegan cheese for your pizza depends on your personal preference and convenience. Store-bought cheese is a quick and easy option, but it may not always be available or suit your taste. On the other hand, homemade cheese allows you to customise the flavour and texture, but it requires more time and effort to prepare.
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Other toppings
There are many vegan cheese options for pizzas, including cashew, white bean, and almond-based cheeses. Some popular store-bought options include Daiya, Violife, Miyoko's Cashew Milk Mozzarella, and Follow Your Heart Mozzarella. However, some people prefer not to use vegan cheese at all, instead opting for other creative toppings.
One option is to use hummus as a sauce base, which can be topped with a variety of vegetables such as artichokes, spinach, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, red peppers, zucchini, or yellow squash. You can also add Greek goodies like olives, pine nuts, and pesto. Another idea is to make a creamy onion sauce by cooking and blending onions, garlic, and plant milk, and topping it with veggie chicken nuggets, mushrooms, spinach, and vegan pesto.
If you're looking for a more exotic pizza, try a Thai-inspired pizza with carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, and chickpeas smothered in a light and creamy peanut sauce. Or, for a fall-inspired pizza, use butternut squash as a base and top it with apples and pecans. You can also experiment with different types of sauces, such as BBQ sauce, pesto, or a creamy garlic sauce.
For a heartier pizza, try adding some plant-based meats like vegan pepperoni, sausage, bacon, or chicken nuggets. If you're feeling adventurous, BBQ jackfruit with jalapeños, green peppers, and cilantro is a unique and tasty combination. You can also use tofu as a topping, either crumbled or cubed and charred on the stove after marinating in Italian dressing.
Lastly, don't be afraid to think outside the box! Some people enjoy putting salad-like toppings on their pizzas, such as wilted greens, nuts, fruits, corn, tortilla strips, and romaine. You can also try unique combinations like fig, walnut, and arugula with a drizzle of agave, or caramelized onions, sautéed kale, and thinly sliced potatoes with rosemary or thyme.
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Frequently asked questions
Miyoko's cashew-based cheeses are popular, including their cashew milk mozzarella and liquid mozzarella. Other options include Violife, Daiya, and Trader Joes.
You can make vegan cheese with a base of cashews, white beans, or cauliflower. A cashew base will require you to soak the cashews in hot water for 5 minutes to an hour, then blend them with tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, and water. A cauliflower base will require you to blend cauliflower with tapioca starch and non-dairy milk.
If you want a stuffed crust, add agar powder to make the cheese firmer and easier to handle. If you want to be able to grate or shred the cheese, increase the amount of saturated fat, starch, cashews, and kappa carrageenan.
Bake your pizza at 550°F (290°C) for 7 minutes. At this temperature, vegan cheese will pass the melt test.
You can add soft goat/feta-style cheese or almond-based vegan cheese to your pizza to solve the dryness issue that grated vegan cheeses tend to have. You can also add vegetables as toppings.
